Two companies run by talented women

Dulce Pomelo is an interior design and construction studio managed by two women, Elisa, a 44-year-old interior designer, and María, a 37-year-old quantity surveyor. Two enterprising sisters that created Dulce Pomelo in August 2017 to meet the needs of individuals and businessmen to decorate their homes and workplaces through interior design solutions suitable to meet all the needs.

Backed-up by 20 and 15 years of experience in interior design and construction, they decided to make their professional path with this joint project, straddling between Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.
Their work philosophy is closely linked to the needs of each client. It’s all about making a joint trip where their interests meet to create unique solutions made specially for every single project. That way they start every piece of work without bounds or limitations, just by listening to their clients and offering valuable solutions for spaces to live or work in, rooms that leave an indelible mark on the people inhabiting them.

How did you decide to set up a business on your own?
Dulce Pomelo: Not thinking much about it. A family dinner, some pies in the sky… we started to make projects together and, later on and almost without realising, we started linking projects until nowadays.

Is it easy to be an entrepreneur in Spain?
DP: No, not at all. You get no financial aids. Your two hands, a laptop, and lots of excitement. If you are waiting for something you never move forwards.

As women, have you found your career path easy?
DP: to tell the truth, we were afraid in the beginning. Construction is, a priori, a «men’s job», but we’ve always been supported. We understand that it’s a question of respect.

Why Fuerteventura?
DP: «Majorera» blood flows in our veins. Our father was the first registered architect in Fuerteventura so we’ve always had a special connection to the profession and to this land.

Which kind of clients do you have?
DP: They are small and medium enterprises, lots of individuals and holiday tourism. We are fortunate to have a portfolio of very loyal customers with whom we have worked for a long time and who have trusted us for all their projects.

Which are the main needs to meet in the island?
DP: They’re varied, but almost all of them are tourism oriented: from refurbishing an obsolete hotel to reinvent shops for really finicky tourists and consumers.

Does the criterion to apply change if the project is for an individual person or for a company?
DP: Yes, a lot. If it’s for an individual person the listening stage is very important. You also need to listen to enterprises, of course, but in these cases we have more freedom to develop innovative ideas.

Their last project has been Claudia Vera’s consultancy. Claudia Vera, (32 years old), born in Fuerteventura, is also starting out as a freelance. A Social Graduate, she is another brave woman who launched herself to the entrepreneurial world and she relied on Elisa and María to make her dream come true.

Claudia was sure that she wanted to introduce a distinguishing element in her premises; this is why she contacted Elisa and María, to escape conventionalism and provide the cosiness and good taste she wanted to her business.
She had been carrying out this professional career for seven years, and her constancy and professionalism led the old owners of the consultancy to propose her to keep their office in Corralejo. So, Claudia took the reins of this business that, although still in the same location, is getting a new lease of life with a new design and management.

How did you decide to become an entrepreneur and keep the consultancy?
CV: I was 25 when I was employed as an administrative assistant. They called to offer me to keep the consultancy. It was hard to decide because of the great deal of responsibility that this would entail, but I knew I wouldn’t have much chance to succeed in my professional career and time and tide wait for no man.

When did you decide to rely on Dulce Pomelo to carry out the interior design project of your consultancy?
CV: I already knew some works by Elisa that looked very much like what I was looking for regarding the modern features, as well as being easy and comfortable for a workplace. I contacted her and then I found out Dulce Pomelo. I was charmed by the project proposal they made for me.

As a woman, have you found it easy to carry out this professional path?
CV: I think the most difficult issue to overcome has been my age, on top of being a woman. Being a 25-year-old woman made my clients wonder whether my professional counselling would be experienced enough.

Do you believe the growing population raises openness when it comes to creating new projects and in the way they are accepted by the population?
CV: I don’t. The growing population seems to be somehow transitional; if the projects aren’t long-term ones the populations doesn’t accept them. There are many businesses which don’t remain open even for one year. There isn’t any stability.

What kind of clients do you have?
CV: We have a variety of clients but maybe due to our location most of our clients come from the catering, trading, construction and even the iron and steel industries etc.

How do you visualize the island in ten years?
CV: With quality tourism that will promote the little businesses in the street. I think the most important point is to tip the scales at quality tourism.